


A Fire That Starts Friendships

by verboseDescription



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Hanukkah, except for clint's amazing ability to fuck up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-11
Updated: 2015-12-11
Packaged: 2018-05-06 05:03:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5404058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/verboseDescription/pseuds/verboseDescription
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natasha stands near the curb, watching her apartment building go up in flames as the fireman rush to put it out, and can’t help but think to herself how this really wasn’t how she meant to spend the holidays. It could be worse, of course. She could be him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Fire That Starts Friendships

                Natasha stands near the curb, watching her apartment building go up in flames as the fireman rush to put it out, and can’t help but think to herself how this _really_ wasn’t how she meant to spend the holidays.

                The worst part of it is, she can’t even complain about how horrible it is because she can see the shirtless man—one of the man people living in the same building as her, she assumes—standing next to her is having a worse time then her. What did he do that he’s not _just_ standing outside without a shirt in December, but standing outside without a shirt in December with _a_ _box of matzah and a dog?_

                She has to take a moment to stare at him so that she knows, for future reference, someone else has it worse then she does.

                But, it’s Hanukah. And whatever kind of person her neighbor is, he doesn’t deserve this. Plus, she can’t stand that mournful expression that both he and his dog have.

                “Hey,” Natasha says, “Want to borrow my sweatshirt?”

                Her neighbor stares at her, and then at her sweatshirt which reads “All I care about is Hanukah and like 2 goyim.”

                “I don’t know how well it’ll fit,” He replies, “Plus, it is kind of cold.”

                “I’m Russian, I don’t get cold,” Natasha responds automatically, “Natasha Romanoff. You?”

                “Clint Barton,” He looks down at his dog, “This is Lucky.”

                “Hello Lucky,” Natasha says. Clint smiles at her, so she assumes she’s been polite enough to ask what she’s really been wondering, “What were you doing before the fire trucks came?”

                Clint’s face fell.

                “I, uh, was the one who set off the alarms,” He admits, “I was trying to light my menorah. I’m honestly not sure what happened, but then I kinda panicked so…”

                “So you grabbed a box of matzah and ran,” Natasha finishes.

                “I was actually trying to get some dog food.”

                It occurs to Natasha that no Hanukkah she ever has will ever be awful enough to match his.

                “I was planning on visiting a friend of mine for that,” She says, “He’s the one who got me this sweatshirt, actually. Would you like to join us? I’m sure it’ll go much smoother.”

                “Sure,” Clint replies, “Thanks.”

                Natasha beams. She feels like a good person.

 

                “You brought your car keys with you?”

                “Always be prepared Clint.”

                “You were wearing booty shorts and a sweatshirt, and your first thought when you hear a fire alarm is ‘gee, time to get my keys and some lip gloss’?”

                “Honestly, you are the _last_ person who should be criticizing me.”

                “Okay, but the thing is, I _know_ I’m a mess. I have higher expectations for you.”

                “We literally just met.”

                “Which just goes to show how much I trust you.”

 

                By the time they reach Natasha’s friends, Clint and her are giggling like they’ve known each other for years. She rings the doorbell and James answers, looking disgruntled and wearing a ridiculous sweater she assumes was given to him by Steve. As soon as he takes in the state of her and Clint, his expression is replaced with one of surprise.

                “Natasha,” says James.

                “Happy Hanukah,” says Natasha.

                “Natasha,” James says again, “What the _hell?”_

She shrugs. Clint looks at his dog in embarrassment.

                “Oh, you know,” She says, “Just an average day at the office.”

                James groans and turns his head back inside to yell.

                “Steve! Natasha did something stupid again! And she brought some weirdo with a dog!” James turned back to Clint and added, “No offense.”

                “I get it,” Clint nodded and Steve comes running to the door saying something about how he wants to see the dog. Lucky wags his tail at him.

                “What a nice dog,” Steve says. He hasn’t actually missed the fact that Clint is still shirtless, Nat can tell, but she also knows that Steve hasn’t missed how uncomfortable Clint looks and probably doesn’t want to be the reason for it being worse.

                “Thanks. His name’s Lucky,” Clint replies, “He’s a rescue.”

                So Steve introduces himself and James, AKA “I’ve been calling him Bucky since we were four I don’t see any reason to stop just because everyone else has,” and invites the two of them inside.

                “I lit a candle and started a fire in my apartment,” Clint explains tersely, “So Nat said I could come join her.”

                “The fire department came,” Natasha adds cheerily, “We all had to evacuate.”

                She appreciates Steve’s look of shock almost as much as she appreciates James’ look of weariness and defeat, along with acceptance that this kind of strangeness is a Thing that comes with being friends with her.

                “I had presents for the two of you, though,” Natasha says, “They might be a bit burnt but I can still get them tomorrow. It’ll still be Hanukkah, after all.”

                “It’s okay,” Steve reassures her, “You brought a dog. Anyone want any food?”

                “I’m always happy to steal from your fridge,” Natasha replies, and drags Clint inside with her. He feels like he’s imposing, she can tell, but he really isn’t.

                “So how much fire was there in your apartment, by the way?” James asks, “Because if it burns long enough we can call it a Hanukkah miracle.”

                “Well, there was firetrucks outside,” Clint replies, “So…”

                “Darn those fireman,” Steve says, shaking his head dramatically, “Keeping my dear friend Bucky from having his very own Hanukkah miracle. I can’t believe there’s people out there, doing their _jobs_.”

                Clint snorts as James hits Steve with his prosthetic arm that he left lying on a table.

                “Might want to put that on,” Clint suggests, “Dogs’ll chew on anything they get their paws on.”

                “Nah,” James replies, “I’ll just put it away. It’s not like I need it that much. And this way no one can set it on fire.”

                “Don’t tease him,” Natasha says, “He’s been through enough.”

                Clint does accidentally light something on fire, but Natasha’s quick reflexes and insistence that Steve buy a fire extinguisher save the day.

                 “Where would you boys be without me?” She asks, sighing dramatically and turns to Clint, “I guess this means I’ll have to come find you next year, too. We wouldn’t want a repeat disaster.

                “Of course,” Clint rolls his eyes, but he smiles at her so Natasha gives him her phone so he can add his number in it.

                “Now you won’t have to worry about anything,” Natasha jokes, “With me on your side, everything will always work out in the end, I promise.”

                Clint laughs, so she makes Steve and James defend her.

                “Natasha’s a great person,” Steve says, “You’ll be glad to have her to back you up, trust me, she’s a true friend.”

                “Or,” James adds, “She might just want to steal your dog while you aren’t looking."


End file.
